Keyless padlock.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

J. KRUSB.

KEYLESS PADLOGK.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 30, 190B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

2. ,lN\1EN"roR. /4, 31 JOHN KRusE.

PATENTED 110112, 190?;

J. KRUSB.

KEYLBSS PADLOGK. APPLIOATIOH FILED OCT. 30, @906.

Q a snnn'ra-snnnw 2.

lNvENToR. JOHN KRUSE BY 714 AT rYi s k 2, .which can be removed bycutting or releasing rivets,

UNITED STATES JOHN KRUSE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

KEYLESS PADLOCK.

To tzz whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Joan Knusn, a citizen of the United States, andresident of St Louis, Missouri,

have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Keyless Padlocks,of which the following is aspecification containing a full, clear, andexact description,

4 reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a keyless padlock, the object J of my inventionbeing to provide a simple, inexpensive locking mechanism which isparticularly adapted for ,padlocks, and which may be applied for use asan ordinary lock by making slight alterations in the casing, whichmechanism is so constructed as to be opened Without a key, operated inthe dark, readily shifted or changed to form different combinations tobe carried out in opening a lock, and which cannot be readily I openedby unauthorized persons.

.To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of. parts, which will be hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed outin the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a padlock of my in;-proved'construction; Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the padlockwiththe front plate thereof'removed, and showing the interior mechanism;Fig. 3 is a view similar to' Fig. 2, and showing the releasing mechanismshifted into a position so as to allow the release of the shackle; Fig.4 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

; Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, l designates thepadlock housing which may be of any suitable shape, and provided with afront plate or similar fastening deyices. Pivotally connected to the topof'the housing 1, at one side thereof, is a shackle i 3, preferably ofinverted U-shape, and the end opposite thepivoted end being adapted topass through an opening formed in the top of the housing 1, and said endbeing provided with the oppositely arranged notches v I 5 and 6. Thepivoted end of the shackle is provided i. with a lug 7, which extendsthrough a suitable opening in the top of the housing, and against whichbears the free endof a leaf spring 8 which is fixed to the housing, andthe pressure of which throws the opposite end of the shackle upwardlywhen the latter is released.

plain, as designated by 14, and formed at one end of said plain portionis a lug 15. i

Specification of Letters Patent. I i

Application filed October 80. 1906. Serial No. 341.319.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

16 designates a disk provided in its edge with a notch 17, and which isfriction tight upon the rear 1 end of the sleeve 11.

A coiled spring 18 is wound upon the sleeve 11, with one end seated inthe ratchet wheel 13, the opposite end being fixed to a pin 19 which isseated in the housing 1 at a point between and immediately below thepins 9 and 10.

Mounted upon the forward end of the sleeve 12 is a ratchet wheel 20,provided on its periphery with a short plain flat space 21; and at theend thereof is formed a lug 22 23 designates a disk provided in its edgewith a notch 24, and which disk is friction tight upon the rear end ofthe sleevel2.

' A coiled spring 25 is wound upon the sleeve 12, with one end seated inthe ratchet wheel 20, the'opposite end being seemed to the pin 19.

Fixed in the lower portion of the housing 1, below the pin 19, is a pairof pins 26, on one of which is pivotally arranged a bell crank lever 27,the opposite end of which extends outwardly through a suitable openingin the housing, and is provided with a push button 28. Pivotallyarranged on the bell crank 27 is a spring actuated pawl 29, the point ofwhich is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 13. Acorresponding bell crank lever 30 is pivotally mounted on the oppositepin 26, and is provided at its outer end with a push button 31, and isalso provided with a spring actuated pawl 32, the point of which engagesthe teeth of the ratchet wheel 20. The ends of a spring 33, which isarranged on the pin 19, engage the bell crank levers 27 and 30,- andnormally maintain the same at their,

teeth of the ratchet wheel 20, and extending forwardly fiomthe face ofsaid detent is a pin 36. p

37 designates a detent pivotally mounted upon a pin 38, the point ofwhich detent engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 13; and said detentextends upwardly from the pin 38, and is provided on its upper end with2. lug 39. One end'of a retractile coiled spring 40 is secured to thedetent 37, the opposite end thereof being secured to the detent 35,which coiled spring normally maintains the points of'the detents againstthe toothed peripheries of the ratchet wheels 13 and 20. A releasing bar41 is pivotally attached to the detent 37 at a point above the pivot pin38, the opposite end of said bar being provided with a slot 42,

whichreceives the pin 36 on the detent 35. Project- Pivotally arrangedupon a pin 45, in the upper left hand corner of the housing 1, is alever46, which extends above the disks 16 and 23, and which lever is providedwith a pair of depending fingers 47 and 48, which are adapted to enterrespectivelythe notches 17 and 24. Mounted on the pin 45 and dependingtherefrom is a spring pressed latching dog 49, the point of which ispositioned directly opposite the lug 39,, and; which point is adapted toengage in the notch 5 formed in the outside of the shackle 3 when saidshackle is" closed. Seated in the dog 49 is a rearwardly projecting pin50, which normally engages against the under, side of the lever 46.

Pivotally secured to the center of the lever 46 is a vertically disposedrod 51, which extends through a suitably formed opening in the topvvtocertain of the teeth on the ratchet wheels 13 and 20, 1

this setting of thedisks formingthe combinationby means of which thepadlock is unlocked after the ratchet wheels and disks have beenproperly manipu lated as hereinafter described. J v

Assuming that the combination numberior the disk 16is 11, and thecombination number for the disk 23 is 15, "said disks must be set on thesleeves l1 and 12 in such positions as that the notches 17 and 24 willbe I brought into positions beneath the fingers 47 and .48 when theratchet wheel 13 has been rotated the distance of eleventeeth, and theratchet wheel 20 has been rotated the distance of fifteen teeth. Tounlock the padlock so set, the'operator engages the push button 28 andpresses the same inwardly eleven times, and

in so doing successivelyengag es eleven of the teeth on v the ratchetwheel 13 with the pawl 29,- and thus rotates the disk 16 so as to bringthe notch 17 immediately be neath thefinger 47, This partial rotationstores power in the coiled spring 18, but said disk 16 and the ratchetwheel 13 are prevented fiom reverse movement by engagement of the pointof the detent 37 with the teeth of .said ratchet wheel. The operator nowengages the push button 31 and forces the same inwardly tfiiteen' times,thus bringingv the notch 24 directly oppositethe finger 48, during whichmovement power is stored in the'coiled spring 25 and the partsbeingprevented moving in a reverse direction by the engagement of the detent35 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The, op-' erator now-engages thebutton 52 and forces the same downwardlyf 'which movement swings thelever 46 upon the pin 45 and causes the fingers 47 and '48 to ent'erthe'coiresponding notches 17 and 24. This do'wnwardswingoi the lever 46presses upon-the pin 50,'and

as a result the point of the locking dog 49 is moved out Thus thepadlock is opened, and when the pressure of the finger on the button 52isreleased, the lever 46 and dog. 49 will swing upwardly to their normalpositions 4 Y .of the notch 5; and this end of the shackle now beingfree, swings upwardly owing to the pressure oi the spring 8 on the lug 7on the opposite end of saidshackle.

owing to the pressure of the spring against the rear side;

Should a person unfamiliar of said dog, and the fingers 47 and'48 arecarried upward out of the notches and 24. When the padlock is re-locked,the free end of the shackle is moved downwardly through the opening 4until-the dog 49 ren-v gages in the notch 5, and this movement causesthe lowerend of the shackle to engagethe lug 39jon the upper-end of thedetent 37; and in so doing, shifts said detent upon the pin'38,disengaging the lower end of said detent from the ratchet wheel 13 andsimultaneously shifting the releasing bar 41 to the right, whichmovement releases the lower end of the detent 35 from the ratchet wheel20, and both of the ratchet wheelsare now free to rotate to their normalpositions by the action of the coiled springs 18 and 25. Thus the.closing ofthe shackle to lock the padlock releasesthe com bination andcauses all of the parts to reassume their normal positions.

When the free end of the shackle 3 moves upwardly in unlocking thepadlock, the lug 39 will be engaged to rock the detent 37, but thecombination will not be released owing to the fact that the fingers 47and- 48 are engaged in the notches .17 and 24; and theslot 42pmvides fortheslight lateral movement of the releasing bar 41 relative the pin 36.T. g v

with the combination attempt to open the padlock by manipulating thebell cranks 27 and 30 to rotate the disks, the fiat surfaces 14 and 21on the disks 13 and 20 wil1,;after said disks have u been partiallyrotated, be brought opposite the points of the detents 37 and 35; and,as a result, no further rotation of the disks ispossibletowing to thenon-engagement of the points of said detents on plain surfaces. 1f theratchet wheels have been partially rotated during the time the padlockis locked, the combination'can be instantly reset or thrown back to itsnormal loo position by engaging the button 44 andshifting the releasebar 41 to the right,which'movement disengages the points of thedetents37 and 35 from the ratchet wheels; and the same, together withthe disks 16 and 23, return to their normal positions.

It will be readily understood by persons familiar with the art how my.improved mechanism can be adapted for locks other than padlocks bymerely changing the shape of the housing, and providing astraightlocking boltin place of a shackle 3. I I

The combination in my improved-padlockis changed, as desired, byshifting the disks 16 and 23 upon their corresponding, sleeves 11 and12-, .which movement changes the positions of the notches 17 and 24',and, as I a result, the push buttons 28 and 31 must be manipu lated agreater or less number of times corresponding to the notches 17 and 24,to bring said notches into posithus a readily adjustable combinationmechanism is provided.

there are no exterior disks with numbers or letters to be noticed duringthe unlocking operation, and the combination can be easily and quicklychanged.

tions where they will receive the fingers 47 and 48; and

1. A padlock, constructed with a housi ng, a shackle carried thereby,means a'rrangedon the interior of the housing for engaging one endof'the shapkle, a plurality of spring controlled disks arr ringed torrotation on 'the interior of the housing, in the edges of which areformed notches, means whereby said disks are rotated, a lever forreleasing the shackle engaging means, fingers integral with said leverand adapted to pass into the notches in the disks, and means arranged onthe interior of the hous ing and operated from the exterior thereof forreleasing the disks to'allow them to return to their normal positionsafter having been rotated; substantially as specified.

2. A padlock, constructed with a housing, a shackle carriedthe1'eby,lmeansarrangcd on the interior of the housing for engaging oneend of the shackle, a plurality of sleeves arranged for rotation in thehousing, ratchet wheels arranged on said sleeves, coiled springsarranged oni'the sleeves for rotating the same in a certain direction,detents engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheels for bold ing themagainst the rotating action of the coiled springs, means operated fromthe exterior of the housing for engaging said ratchet wheels to rotatethe sleeves, disks carried by the sleeves, in the peripheries of whichdisks are formed notches, and means arranged on the-interior of thehousing for actuating the shackle engaging means,

and a portion of which actuating means engages in the notches in thedisks substantially as specified.

3. A padlock, constructed with a housing, a shackle carried thereby, anadjustable combination mechanism arranged on the interior of thehousing, means operated from the exterior of the housing for actuatingsaid combination mechanism, pawls arranged on the interior of thehousing for engaging portions of the combination mechanism, one of whichpawls is provided with a hook at one end for engaging thc shackle whenclosed, means operated from the exterior of the housing for releasingthe shackle when the combination mechanism has been moved to the properposition, and means operated from the exterior of the housing forreleasing the pawls after the shackle has been released.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN KRUSE. Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, E. LfWALnAcm.

